Boulton Paul Osprey MK V, 1170 NAS, HMS Indefatigable, Japan, Autumn 1946

[Doug K]

Backstory needs development but here goes:

Boulton Paul won the competition for Air Ministry Specification O.30/35 for a Turret Fighter against Blackburn's entry based on the Skua. The main reasoning was aesthetic, the Roc was bloody ugly (well OK, the Air Ministry and the High Lords probably definitely didn't think like that but this is whiff-world). The original Boulton Paul P86 was almost as hideous, but when equipped with a Bristol Hercules engine was a formidable performer - compared to its erstwhile competition.

The resulting aircraft was named Osprey II (as Sea Defiant sounded odd), partly because one of the initial roles was as a floatplane for medium to heavy cruisers and it had 2 seats - just like Hawker's 1930s machine.
The MK1 came into service just as WW2 was warming up and went to sea in both landplane and seaplane variants (watch this space for this missing link...)

By the end of the war newer, more powerful engines were coming on-stream, many refined using captured technology from Europe and the Centaurus was one of these, the decision was made to develop a version of the venerable BP Osprey of greater power as reconnaissance, escort and ground-attack fighter.


Obligatory box and scrap yard shot

IMG_1428 by doug_alba, on Flickr

And rhino-pasty underway

IMG_1430 by doug_alba, on Flickr

Paint will be standard BPF, more will be added to the story and the Hercules version will hopefully appear shortly after this is done.
Whether all get done for the GB will remain to be seen.....

[Old Wombat]

That's looking like a relatively painless conversion, with the fuselage/fuselage join looking almost seamless in the image!

[Doug K]

That's looking like a relatively painless conversion, with the fuselage/fuselage join looking almost seamless in the image!

Sadly the camera lies... a bit
It's closer than I expected but will still need a blob or 7 of putty

[NARSES2]

That's looking like a relatively painless conversion, with the fuselage/fuselage join looking almost seamless in the image!

Does indeed. Looking forward to this 

[The Wooksta!]

Give it a single 20mm Hispano in each wing - the old Revell Spitfire Vb could give you the relevant wing bulges - and you've a Boulton Paul P.96B (the A had a Sabre).

There's photos of a couple of models of the type in Alec Brew's The Turret Fighters.

[Doug K]

Give it a single 20mm Hispano in each wing - the old Revell Spitfire Vb could give you the relevant wing bulges - and you've a Boulton Paul P.96B (the A had a Sabre).

There's photos of a couple of models of the type in Alec Brew's The Turret Fighters.

Wow, amazing, I hadn't seen this before. I still have time to create a bulge or two........ but as luck would have it, I don't need to, I have a Brengun Spit with lots of extras, including bulges!

Thanks for this!

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,17868.15.html

[Doug K]

Houston, we have a problem. Tempests had bloody huge props!

IMG_1431 by doug_alba, on Flickr

[NARSES2]

Ah, I see your problem.

Suits the engine though 

[Dizzyfugu]

The Sea Fury, too. When I mounted the five blade prop on my Merlin/B7N whif, the blades almost touched the ground. Thankfully, when the main wheels were finally mounted, things became better, but there's still little ground clearance for that heavy aircraft!

Not certain whether clipping the blades or longer legs solve the problem better? Or a five blade prop (maybe from a Spitfire?), as an alternative? This worked on a Sabre-powered Bearcat a while ago (blades mounted onto the OOB spinner):


1:72 Grumman Sabrecat Mk. II; aircraft "C-3M/JZ931 of 800 NAS, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm; Trimcomalee, May 1945 (Whif/Kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[The Wooksta!]

Try a contraprop from a Shacklton.  Although you may need to trim the blades down a tad even then.

[zenrat]

Bigger wheels?

[Doug K]

The Sea Fury, too. When I mounted the five blade prop on my Merlin/B7N whif, the blades almost touched the ground. Thankfully, when the main wheels were finally mounted, things became better, but there's still little ground clearance for that heavy aircraft!

Not certain whether clipping the blades or longer legs solve the problem better? Or a five blade prop (maybe from a Spitfire?), as an alternative? This worked on a Sabre-powered Bearcat a while ago (blades mounted onto the OOB spinner):


1:72 Grumman Sabrecat Mk. II; aircraft "C-3M/JZ931 of 800 NAS, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm; Trimcomalee, May 1945 (Whif/Kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

My thinking too, I have a 5 blade from a Frog Spit, somewhere, I know it exists but finding it is the challenge!!

[Doug K]

Bigger wheels?

🤣🤣

[NARSES2]

If you can't find the prop I can probably help

[Doug K]

If you can't find the prop I can probably help

Thanks, I have managed to find an even more ancient white metal aero club 4-blade, but it looks tiny!

I wonder if contra-rotating might work (bodged from the spares box)?

I return to bench.......